Modest Mouse roars atop U.S. pop album charts

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Rock band Modest Mouse scored its first No. 1 album on the U.S. pop charts Wednesday, while English neo-soul singer Joss Stone also claimed a personal best with a No. 2 debut for her latest release.

Members of the band Modest Mouse, Grammy nominees for best rock song and best alternative album, arrive at the 47th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in this February 13, 2005 file photo. The rock band scored its first No. 1 album on the U.S. pop charts Wednesday, while English neo-soul singer Joss Stone also claimed a personal best with a No. 2 debut for her latest release. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith

Meanwhile, former “American Idol” finalist Elliott Yamin finished third with his independently released self-titled debut.

Modest Mouse’s “We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank,” featuring handiwork from former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, sold 129,000 copies in the week ended March 25, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Modest Mouse’s last album, the 2004 commercial breakthrough, “Good News for People Who Love Bad News,” debuted at No. 19 with 68,000 and peaked at No. 18.

Stone’s third album, “Introducing Joss Stone,” sold 118,000 units. Her last album, 2004’s “Mind, Body & Soul” peaked at No. 11. Her Virgin Records label said in a statement that the tally was the highest for an English female singer since Billboard began using sales data derived from tracking firm SoundScan in 1991.

“American Idol” 2006 third-place finisher Elliott Yamin sold 90,000 copies. He released the album as a joint-venture with music publisher Sony/ATV Music, which resurrected the Hickory Records name for the project. (The label name was once used by Nashville powerhouse Acuff-Rose, which Sony/ATV bought in 2002.)

Akon’s “Konvicted” slipped one to No. 6 after selling about a hundred copies less than “Veteran” at 69,000, while Lloyd’s “Street Love” slid five to No. 7 with 55,000 in its second week. After bowing at the summit last week, Musiq Soulchild’s “Luvanmusiq” plunged to No. 8 with 54,000.

Rich Boy’s self-titled debut tumbled six places to No. 9 with 49,000. In its second week on the chart, English singer Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” dropped three to No. 10 with 40,000.

Metal act Haste The Day had its best charting week with the debut of “Pressure the Hinges” at No. 89. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists landed on the Billboard 200 for the first time with “Living with the Living,” at No. 109.

Album sales were up 2.6% from last week’s total at 8.5 million units, but down 18.2% compared to the same week last year. Overall album sales for the year were down 17% from last year at 108 million units.